


Extending A Paw In Solidarity

by AlluredToMasculinity



Series: Jungle Felines [1]
Category: The Jungle Book (1967)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, Minor Violence, Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 11:42:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29152968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlluredToMasculinity/pseuds/AlluredToMasculinity
Summary: Shere Khan was defeated, and Bagheera and Baloo had successfully deposited Mowgli in the man-village. Now all that was left to do was sing, dance and make merry, apparently.Except Bagheera is unable to ignore his desire for peace to prevail among the jungle, which leads him to attempt negotiations with the feline responsible for disrupting the peace.(Takes place right after the final scene of the 1967 animation of The Jungle Book.)
Relationships: Shere Khan & Bagheera (Jungle Book)
Series: Jungle Felines [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2139963
Comments: 1
Kudos: 5





	Extending A Paw In Solidarity

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, everyone!
> 
> This is my very first fanfic ever written and ever posted publicly. It features Bagheera and Shere Khan from The Jungle Book (1967) because what bugged me about the animation was that the only two felines in it had ABSOLUTELY NO INTERACTION WHATSOEVER. So of course, I had to rectify that. (^.^)
> 
> Originally, the purpose of this fic was to be a character study of both felines, but my imagination ran away with me and this is the end result. Still, I am incapable of writing complete fantasy when using characters that are not my own, so I tried my best to keep them as similar to the animation as possible. Dunno whether I succeeded or failed.
> 
> I'm also new to tagging, so please let me know if there are any more tags that need to be added.
> 
> Completely beta-read by me, so any and all mistakes you come across are entirely my own. In which case, please do let me know and I will correct them.
> 
> Comment if you like, comment if you don't like - just don't comment if the only feedback you've got to give is abuse. I'm open to criticism, and would love to know whether or not I've captured the characters' likeness.
> 
> Enjoy!

The following day saw Bagheera trudging through the jungle way before the sun was even up in the sky. There were dark circles under his eyes, a result of staying up half the night with Baloo, listening to him recount all the fun times he’d had with ‘his bear-cub’. Bagheera had let him ramble on, even when his eyelids were drooping with exhaustion, because he could tell that the bear needed to keep his sprits from sinking. After that initial bout of singing and grooving – which he now firmly alluded to as the result of a ‘temporary leave of his senses’ – Bagheera had chosen to play a more passive role in comforting Baloo. With _all_ four limbs on the ground.

The truth was, even while he’d been keeping one ear open for the bear’s ridiculous anecdotes, his mind had been wandering elsewhere. To piercing yellow eyes and a deep, rumbling voice.

At first, faced with the sight of Baloo’s huge body lying motionless on the dirt, Bagheera had been quite far from forgiving the tiger. Killing for survival was one thing. But for the mere purpose of removing an obstacle? Bagheera might have regarded Shere Khan more leniently than any other animal in the jungle, but it didn’t mean he could overlook something that significant.

But then Baloo had lifted his head, demanding that the panther extol more of his virtues, and in the midst of his embarrassment and fury, Bagheera had felt a small wave of relief wash over him. At least the tiger hadn’t committed an atrocious murder, even if that had been his intent. It meant that Bagheera could continue to extend a paw in – if not friendship – a truce.

The panther was no fool. The man-village might have been Mowgli’s safest bet, but that didn’t make it completely risk-free – at least not when it was situated right on the outskirts of the jungle, where no doubt one very revengeful tiger was already planning his next move. Bagheera knew it was just a matter of time before Shere Khan attacked, because he wasn’t one to take humiliation lying down. And Mowgli _had_ humiliated him, very much so – at least before, his Achilles Heel was a work of nature that any sensible animal would fear. Now? Now the word would spread like wildfire – how ironic – that the big, bad, scary tiger had been taken down by none other than a man-cub. And not even a fully-grown one at that, all twig-arms and naïve bravado. Now his reputation was effectively ruined, and that wouldn’t do, not if he didn’t want to spend the rest of his life with his head hanging down. Bagheera knew the tiger would rectify his mistake or die trying in the attempt, and so hoped it wasn’t too late to change his mind.

Which was why he was currently yawning widely as he leapt from branch to branch, miles away from (well, not home, because he didn’t have a permanent one) where he’d left Baloo, snoring the day away. The sun had come up a few hours ago, and the jungle had come to life, invigorating Bagheera anew. He had an idea of where the tiger could be, though he couldn’t say for sure, never having seen him resting at a particular spot for long. The panther liked to wander far and wide, the main reason why he didn’t have a ‘home’ home – kind of like Baloo, except the bear preferred to keep closer to places with ‘like-minded animals’ – and in those wanderings, on more than one memorable occasion, had bumped into Shere Khan.

On nearing his rather dubious destination, Bagheera leapt down and took a strong whiff. It had been many hours since, but the slight scent of lingering smoke assured the panther that he was on the correct path. Steeling himself and pricking his ears, Bagheera strode on confidently. It was half-genuine, half-acting, because while he knew that it was never a good idea to show nervousness before Shere Khan, he was also somewhat sure the tiger wouldn’t harm anyone without a good reason to. (He used to be a lot surer, but the incident with Baloo had forced him to re-examine his trust radar, especially when it concerned a predator he barely knew.) And last he checked, he hadn’t given the tiger a reason to maul him the second they laid eyes on each other. So yes, Bagheera was fairly confident.

The panther soon entered a sort of clearing, seemingly devoid of any life forms. He hesitantly took a few more whiffs, ears straining to pick up any tell-tale sounds of a killer advancing. The smell of burnt flesh was more prominent here, but seemed to be everywhere at once. As if the tiger had been pacing up and down.

Bagheera made to step forward, but then decided against it. Shere Khan had been here, that much was obvious, but he wasn’t about to ‘catch a tiger by the tail’ like Baloo had. Look where that had gotten him. And this was a feline on the warpath, too. He might have wanted to make peace, but he valued his hide a great deal, and if waving a white flag under the nose of a tiger who was spoiling for a fight was going to leave him in pieces…well, then he could surely wait for a more opportune meeting.

He hadn’t failed to notice the significantly large cave a few meters away. Part of him wanted to make sure it was empty so as not to have wasted his journey, but Bagheera had too much sense to put his head into the lion’s mouth, so to speak. He didn’t doubt Shere Khan would surprise him with a mere ‘boo!’ either. Bagheera also realized that he was currently not at peak condition for locking horns with an angry tiger. Sighing, the panther turned to leave.

Later, he’d kick himself for letting his guard down. He should have known that just because a place was void, that didn’t mean something wasn’t lurking in the shadows. Or in this case, crouching on the low branch overhead.

He barely caught a flash of orange before a mighty roar sounded from above and seconds later, sharp talons were digging into his shoulders. The jarring force of the impact knocked the wind out of him, and Bagheera could only yelp in shock and pain as he crashed onto the ground so hard he was temporarily dazed. The tiger’s entire 600 pounds of muscle effectively trapped his leaner and smaller frame beneath him as Bagheera gasped for breath.

If he was half-asleep before, he definitely was not now.

Penetrating yellow eyes bore into his as a dangerous growl rumbled deep within the tiger’s chest. Bagheera could feel the vibrations as he struggled ineffectually beneath him. His tail was swishing back and forth in agony, and he could feel his limbs growing numb from the unrestrained pressure on them.

“Get…off…” he rasped when it became apparent that he was no match for the other’s strength.

His plea went unheard. “You must have some kind of death wish, coming here.” Shere Khan’s deep voice held traces of his fury. “Did you want to see whether I’d been burnt alive? So that you could tell all your jungle friends about how the little man-cub single-handedly killed the beast? Huh?”

With every word, his talons dug deeper into Bagheera’s fur, and he couldn’t hold back an agonized yowl. Not that it did anything to tug at the tiger’s surely non-existent heartstrings and take pity on him. Choosing to address the ridiculous accusation instead of the excruciating pain, the panther all but yelled, “No, you fool! I just wanted to talk because I thought you could be reasonable! Is that really too much to ask?!”

Shere Khan held him down for a few more minutes before retracting his claws and letting him up. It was all Bagheera could do not to give him the satisfaction of licking his wounds to relieve the pain.

“I am extremely reasonable,” the tiger drawled as he strolled composedly to the cave, all traces of anger wiped from his face. The spontaneous change never failed to take his victims off-balance, and Bagheera was no exception. It was uncanny, how such a drastic transformation could come about within the span of a second, and he had no doubt that it had been polished to perfection.

“Yes, I can see that,” Bagheera retorted as he stood up, only slightly out of breath and mildly surprised to discover that his legs were trembling. He took a few shaky steps forward. As long as he didn’t fall flat on his face, he didn’t care that Shere Khan would pay witness to his humiliation.

A low growl made him look up to see the tiger baring his teeth threateningly, limbs tensed as if ready to pounce again. Bagheera halted in his advance, immediately sitting back on his haunches. He wasn’t _that_ afraid of being on the receiving end of sharp claws, but it wouldn’t do to have him limping miles back and coming up with convincing explanations for his broken bones. Everyone who knew him was aware of his ‘no-violence’ policy.

The murderous gleam in Shere Khan’s eyes lessened considerably at the compliant posture, but his limbs remained tense. “Do not test me,” was all he said, but the words were full of meaning. Bagheera remained silent and motionless, keeping his eyes on the other, letting the tiger interpret his actions however he wished.

After a moment of intense staring where neither party backed down, the angry swishing of Shere Khan’s tail subsided, enough that he could turn his back onto the panther and disappear into the cave.

Bagheera took the chance to slump in relief, but it was short-lived; Shere Khan soon emerged, dragging a bloody carcass behind him. The panther wrinkled his nose even as the delicious scent made him salivate and his stomach rumble. It was the dead body of an obviously healthy buck in his prime. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise, but as a predator who only preyed on the weak, sick and old, he’d foolishly assumed that the tiger did the same. Then again, this was _His Royal Highness,_ after all.

“It’s rude to linger in doorways, you know.” Bagheera snapped out of his musings at the amused drawl. Shere Khan was munching on what looked like a juicy thigh from where he sat. “Have a bite, if you’re so hungry.”

Oh, he was dying to, but again – he wasn’t a fool.

Instead, he made his way over slowly to the tiger, who he knew was acutely aware of his every move even if his bead-like eyes weren’t trained on him. “I’ll pass, thank you.” Sitting down directly in front of the other, he made sure his voice sounded neutral before he asked, “And are you doing better now?”

He hadn’t exactly said the word ‘fire’, but he may as well have, given how Shere Khan’s eyes whipped up to his without otherwise moving an inch. Bagheera remained unmoving, giving the other time to evaluate his words and tone. He knew how his frankness was generally received, but with the feline in front of him, it was a whole different game.

“Wouldn’t you like to know.” There was the subtle undertone of barely restrained fury in his words, but the panther chose to ignore it for the time being. “So that is what you really came here for, is it?”

Bagheera’s response was abrupt: “Of course not.” He wanted to be clear on that point. Even though a very small part of him felt sorry for the tiger, he wouldn’t have wasted either his time or his energy trekking miles away from familiar territory just to check up on a vengeful feline. “It just seemed like a polite thing to ask, when one is visiting.”

“Well, this is a very _unwelcome_ visit,” his host replied, attention back to the meat, but not entirely. “Even so, it is exceedingly rude to lurk in doorways and refuse to partake in delicacies when on someone’s territory. I really didn’t take you for the sort.”

Bagheera was quite aware that he was scowling, but he couldn’t help it. The jerk was smirking as if laughing at him inside his head. It took all he had to keep the annoyance out of his words. “Like I said, I’ll pass.”

Shere Khan grinned up at him, a ferocious baring of teeth and bloody lips that sent shivers down his spine. “Have it your way.” And then he proceeded to devour the flesh, as if trying to appear more intimidating than he already was. He took his own sweet time with it as well, which led Bagheera to wonder whether he was imagining the flesh to be his or Baloo’s or – even worse – Mowgli’s.

The thought made him sick, and he immediately got up to pace around, trying to clear his mind a bit. Unfortunately, his sudden movement caught the other’s attention, and before he had taken two steps, the feline was looming over him. “Where do you think you’re going?”

The need to cower was instinctive, and Bagheera may have crouched a little, for the tiger was terrifying. He was beginning to regret ever coming here – really, what had possessed him to do such a thing? – but licked his dry lips and tried to speak without stammering. “I seem to have caught you on a bad day, so I’ll just be going now.”

He made to slink around the other, but Shere Khan stepped into his path, effectively blocking him again. “Not at all, not at all.” That devious smirk was back in place, staring the panther down and giving him shivers. “I’ll be done with breakfast in a few minutes. Really, I’d feel bad if you had wasted your journey by coming all this way, only to leave without achieving your purpose. Didn’t you say you had something you wanted to discuss?”

“Well…yes, but…” Bagheera sighed in capitulation. “Fine, I’ll wait until you’re done.”

“Oh, no need to stand on ceremony. I mean, we’re all carnivores here, aren’t we?” The tiger flashed him those dagger teeth before turning slightly to rip off an enormous chunk and place it in front of the other. “Two would get the job done faster, and then we can talk about whatever it is you wanted.”

“I-I don’t really…” Bagheera was finding it very hard to avert his eyes from the juicy meat before him. “Thank you, but…this isn’t exactly my type.”

Shere Khan’s eyebrow rose, making him look more amused and threatening at the same time. “Oh? And what would your type be? Let me guess – an old antelope or a sick buffalo?” He chuckled deep down his throat, and the panther felt his blood freeze at the sound. “Certainly explains your puny frame and evident lack of strength for a predator.”

Bagheera frowned, displeased, but lowered his head enough that the other wouldn’t see it, warring with himself. Then, without a word, he sank his teeth into the delicious meat. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the tiger going back to his own meal, and soon, there was silence except for the sounds of munching.

On looking up once or twice, he realized that Shere Khan was watching him with a smile that could have easily meant _it’s nice to see a predator partake in a real meal for once_ , but which Bagheera knew actually meant _it’s such fun to watch you eat something your mind rejects but your body craves._

He studiously focused on the meat in front of him, taking care not to eat too fast or too slow, or make eye contact with the other. The richness and texture was truly delicious to his half-dead taste buds, but it was a battle to keep going when he felt that it was wrong to savour it so much.

****

*“So, what was the matter of grave importance that you wished to discuss?”

They were by the side of a stream, some ways away from the cave. Even though Bagheera hadn’t enjoyed having his conscience keep up a steady stream of guilt-inducing chatter, the meat had been heavenly and he’d only barely restrained himself from gnawing the bone afterwards. If it hadn’t been for Shere Khan’s presence, he had no doubt he would have given in with zero hesitation.

The tiger had only smirked and licked his bloodied lips slowly as he rose from his own meal, politely asking whether Bagheera had enjoyed the meal. The casualness of his tone hadn’t fooled the panther, who’d gone with a simple ‘yes’ so as to avoid any further conflict. When Shere Khan had mentioned a stream not far away to slake their thirst, Bagheera had stood, waiting for his host to lead the way. To his surprise and trepidation, however, the tiger had invited him to take the lead.

“Visitors first,” he’d said, a gleam in his eye that dissuaded any argument. Not that Bagheera had one to offer. Disliking the idea of the tiger not being in his line of vision but unable to oppose, the panther had walked ahead as quietly as he could, ears pricked for any sign of hostility from behind him. Shere Khan, perhaps deciding to take pity on him, had moved up to walk alongside his flank, easing the tension in his shoulders considerably.

And now, hunger sated and thirst quenched, the two carnivores sat side by side – with a respectable distance between them – tolerating, if not enjoying, each other’s company. And as much as his body relished the much-craved-for delicacy, Bagheera was desperate to be as far away as possible from the presence of the feline beside him.

Unwilling to beat about the bush and prolong his agony, the panther sat up a little straighter. “Yes…I’m here to talk about Mowgli.”

He could almost _feel_ the waves of abhorrence and vengeance emitting from his companion but chose to keep his eyes trained forwards.

“What about the man-cub?” Shere Khan all but snarled.

Out of the corner of his eye, Bagheera could see the tension coiled within the other’s muscles and heaved an inward sigh. He wasn’t going to get anywhere if the tiger looked ready to pounce on him at the simplest suggestion before he’d even had the chance to voice it. Perhaps, were he to appear more relaxed and treat the subject lightly as if it were of no real consequence, the other would be more receptive.

With that thought in mind, the panther forced himself to loosen up, exhaling audibly before shifting so that he was facing Shere Khan head-on. Assuming the sincerest tone he could muster, Bagheera spoke directly to the tiger’s profile.

“Well, before I get to that – and I realize this might not be the best time to bring it up–” he began slowly, “–but thank you for not killing my friend. The bear,” he clarified when Shere Khan gave him a look.

A small smirk stretched the tiger’s lips, and no one would have considered it genuine. “Oh, is he not dead? My condolences. I can assure you, I’ll not let such a precious opportunity slip away so easily again.”

It took everything the panther had in him at that moment, and more, to not claw the other’s eyes out. All efforts to appear more approachable vanished in a puff of smoke at those words. He should have expected this. The tiger’s pride was hurt, and his ego had taken a good beating at being bested by little more than a small monkey. Not to mention how his reputation was inevitably going to suffer.

Still, didn’t mean he had to be _rude_.

Taking a deep breath, he shut his eyes in an attempt to calm himself down. “Yes, thank you for your _touching concern._ I’m sure the fact that he’s still alive and breathing keeps you up at night. But if possible, I’d be very much in your debt if you left him and the man-cub alone. They’ve done nothing to deserve your wrath–”

“Really, now?”

Bagheera opened his eyes to see that the feline’s entire frame was ramrod-straight, jaw tensed as if barely restraining his fury. “I only meant before,” he hastened to add, trying not to let his displeasure at the other’s split-second transformations seep into his voice. He might’ve been furious at the way the tiger spoke, but that didn’t necessarily mean he was itching to pick a fight. “Before you even met them.”

Shere Khan didn’t respond, beady eyes boring holes into his very being and sending chills coursing through his veins. The panther sighed, slumping at the mental anguish he was forced to go through just for the sake of peace.

“Look, you’ve made it impeccably clear that your hatred for humans runs deep – and that’s understandable,” he hurried to assure the other. “I myself have been on the receiving end of a pointed spear too many times than I’d like to admit, but I know that as a tiger, it’s much worse for you.”

His companion (of sorts) remained mute, never taking his eyes off him. His silence both encouraged and made the panther wary, for one never knew what was going through his head.

Bagheera hesitated for only a moment before adding, “And I know you’re worried about the consequences of Mowgli becoming a hunter when he grows up, and I can understand that. But giving him a reason to fear you isn’t going to help. Perhaps if you were to befriend him…”

He trailed off at the dark look directed at him but continued nonetheless. “Look, Mowgli might have humiliated you, but he really is a very sweet boy. He cares for his friends, and would never let them come to any harm if he could help it. To be honest, he _can_ be rather a pawful at times, the stubborn little mule, but he’s really no different from a cub. And I’m sure that if you proved you were no threat to him, he’d forgive you in time.”

Shere Khan’s eyes narrowed in displeasure, most probably at the implication that he’d require forgiveness from a human. “You’re playing with fire.”

“Pun not intended, I’m sure.” The panther lifted the corner of his mouth a little, hoping to ease the tension a bit. It didn’t work.

“Do you think this is a joke? Some sort of ill-bred humour?” Shere Khan’s words were biting, lips drawing back just enough for sharp white fangs to peek out.

“No, I am perfectly aware how serious it is,” Bagheera sighed, shoulders slumping slightly. He’d tried to be casual, tried to make the tiger feel more at ease with him, but Shere Khan was so tightly wound that he wasn’t giving an inch. Bagheera supposed he could understand it, but that didn’t make things any easier for him.

“If you truly understood,” Shere Khan suddenly moved towards him, prompting the panther to scramble up and back away from his advancing form, “you’d think twice before insinuating that I need the forgiveness of a _man-cub_.”

“I’m not _insinuating_ anything,” Bagheera spluttered, trying to side-step and avoid being pushed back, but the tiger wasn’t giving any ground. “I just meant that if Mowgli came to see you as one of his friends, he wouldn’t have any reason to defend himself against you.”

Shere Khan paused at that, eyes narrowing slightly on the panther now cornered against a tree. Hoping that he had finally gotten through, Bagheera pressed on. “I can also give you my word that you would come to no harm at the hands of the humans for as long as Mowgli lives.”

For the first time since they began talking, he saw something like interest dancing along the far edges of the tiger’s eyes. Uncomfortable as he was, with his back pressed against the rough bark of a tree and arching his neck to stare into the eyes of a killer, Bagheera forced himself to relax and appear less of a threat.

“The man-village is Mowgli’s home now, and the humans there will come to regard him as one of them in time. Mowgli’s friendship with the jungle animals means that he would never allow the villagers to bring them harm.” Bagheera paused for effect. “And if you were one of his friends, he would extend the same courtesy to you.”

A contemplative rumble left Shere Khan’s throat as he watched the panther like a hawk. “You’d swear to that?”

“On my life,” was Bagheera’s prompt reply. “I trust Mowgli to do the right thing, and I know he would defend you without hesitation if he considered you an ally instead of a foe.” The panther paused here and glanced away for a second. “It might take time for the villagers to come around, seeing as you’re a tiger…” Then he raised his gaze to meet Shere Khan head-on. “But I believe their loyalty to their own kind would change their views in time.”

A calm silence descended between the two predators as they faced each other, and the jungle, as if sensing the importance of discretion, barely emitted a rustle of leaves.

Shere Khan finally broke the stillness when he turned his head to stare into the distance. Though the tiger hadn’t removed his stance from where he was still keeping Bagheera in place, the panther couldn’t stop the sudden release of tension from his body the moment he wasn’t under scrutiny. He allowed his head to slightly drop from where it had been raised to stare the towering figure in the eye, biting back a grimace as his neck muscles ached in protest.

The silence dragged on with neither party making a move to disturb it until Bagheera began to get restless. He was a constantly moving predator, and the only time he was motionless was when he slept or stalked prey. Being hemmed in by another predator without the freedom of mobility put him on edge, and he was seconds away from taking advantage of the feline’s apparent distraction to slink past his bulky figure when–

“That might not be the worst idea.”

Bagheera was so relieved that he even found it in him to smile, despite his physical discomfort. Shere Khan hadn’t turned back, but went on with a faraway look in his eyes that suggested he was imagining what it would be like.

“Peace with the humans ensures that my hide remains intact. I can live out the remainder of my life as the hunter I was born to be, instead of the hunted.” A slight pause. “Of course, that means your man-cub would be free from having to take responsibility for his actions. But I suppose it is a fair deal, all things considered.”

Then came a slight change in tone, and the temperature seemed to drop in response.

“And when trust is finally established between us, the man-cub will let down his guard around me. His gullibility will render him vulnerable, giving me the perfect opportunity to execute my vengeance.” A red tongue slowly ran across sharp fangs. “Not a bad deal at all, in fact…”

“NO!”

Bagheera didn’t know where he got the courage from, but he rose on his hind legs and shoved at the tiger with all the strength he could muster. “You will NOT use him in that way!” he growled. His slender frame meant he wasn’t powerful enough to send Shere Khan tumbling to the ground, but the element of surprise on his side helped him force the other to stumble back a couple of paces. “I won’t allow it!”

Shere Khan had whipped his head around at the panther’s yell, but didn’t have enough time to avoid the push. By the time he had regained his footing however, he was livid and snarling, assuming an attacking stance.

But this time, Bagheera refused to back down. Even knowing full well that he was no match for the tiger, the panther was just as incensed at Shere Khan’s casual words, spoken with such nonchalance as if he’d been discussing the weather. Not to mention how it would be entirely Bagheera’s fault for even putting such an idea into his head in the first place – he’d never forgive himself if Mowgli got hurt because of him and his foolish desire for peace to prevail among all the jungle animals.

Answering the tiger’s roar with a snarl of his own, Bagheera dodged the claws that came raining down on him with surprising speed. It was the only thing he had going for him, after all – even with the threat of being shredded to pieces looming above him, Bagheera kept his own claws retracted. He only extended them, in fact, when the blows came too fast to dodge in the tiger’s frustration and slashed his shoulder, whereupon he leapt onto the bark of the tree behind him and clambered onto a branch beyond the other’s reach.

Below him, Shere Khan snarled and paced back and forth like a caged lion, occasionally springing onto the trunk of the tree in a futile attempt to ascend. Bagheera tensed at every leap, but the bark could not support the combined weight of the tiger’s bulk and his frantic scrambling, so he never succeeded.

“Don’t think you can just attack me without consequences!” Shere Khan growled with a baring of his fangs.

Bagheera, who’d been licking his wounded shoulder, whipped his head to snarl back. “Don’t think you can just tell me that you plan to gain Mowgli’s trust only to kill him in the end and expect me to be okay with it!” He bared his own teeth in challenge. “You only had Baloo and the vultures to contend with the last time you went after Mowgli. Do not make an enemy of me, because believe me, you will regret it.”

Shere Khan’s pacing had lessened, and he now sneered back at the panther. “You seem to be forgetting that it was _your_ idea in the first place for me to befriend your man-cub. And now that I’ve taken you up on your offer, you change your mind and attack me?”

The tiger’s words left Bagheera too livid to remain within the safety of the tree. “The _offer_ ,” he bit out through gritted teeth, leaping down so close to Shere Khan that the feline was forced to take a step back, “was that you befriend Mowgli to gain his trust, and by extension, that of the villagers, so that both sides could live in peace with each other.”

He stepped into the tiger’s space, and continued advancing when Shere Khan retreated. “It did NOT involve _depriving him of his life!_ ” Bagheera’s words ended in a shout, sending a flock of birds flying at the sudden commotion.

The tiger abruptly stopped his retreat to growl threateningly, and the panther recognized it as a warning to tread carefully or suffer the consequences. He halted in his tracks too, but didn’t back down from Shere Khan’s challenge, glaring right back at him with teeth bared and muscles tense in anticipation of an attack.

The tiger regarded him for a while with just a hint of curiosity and dark amusement simmering beneath thinly-veiled rage and contempt. Bagheera didn’t know what to make of it, but he wasn’t giving an inch. It was too late to avoid insults and his plan to ‘play nice or you’ll end up as dinner’ had taken flight the second he attacked the feline.

Then Shere Khan suddenly let out a sound that was something between a scoff and a huff of laughter. His posture relaxed slightly, muscles not as bunched up to strike, and his gaze lost some of its murderous ferocity. Bagheera tensed, unsure of how to read this change, when the tiger spoke: “As delightful as the benefits are to allying myself with your man-cub, I have no interest in forgiving man for their cruelty.” He paused. “At least, not without some delicious retribution first.”

At Shere Khan’s smirk, Bagheera allowed himself to relax and sit back, once more the picture of calm compliance. While he heaved a silent sigh of relief that the deadly tension had dissipated, he could not help feeling disappointed that his efforts had gone to waste. In a soft tone, he voiced his thoughts: “Well…it was a good deal.”

“Ah, but was it _reasonable_?” Shere Khan’s grin was all teeth, but this time the panther recognized it for playful intimidation and not an actual threat. “Consider it beyond my nature to sleep with the enemy.”

Bagheera took offense at those words, not that he would make his feelings known. He wondered if that’s what the tiger thought he was doing by seeking a truce. The panther realized that, despite Shere Khan’s nature that instilled fear into the hearts of all the jungle animals, he didn’t really consider him an ‘enemy’. The tiger was cruel, yes, and deadly, sure – but he wasn’t malicious or manipulative. He’d never attempted to trick Bagheera into befriending him, or use him to getting close to Mowgli. With Shere Khan, it was more of what-you-see-is-what-you-get. He didn’t bother masking his feelings or denying his nature, no matter that it rendered him friendless and alone. He had control, though – tight, rigid control over himself and his feelings – but he never presented any face other than his own.

Bagheera wondered if that blatantly raw nature of Shere Khan was what really frightened the animals.

“However,” the tiger’s voice startled Bagheera back to the present, where Shere Khan was watching him closely. “I would consider being more lenient with my revenge if the man-cub apologizes to me.”

For a full second, Bagheera felt his spirits rise – before he considered how he would break it to Mowgli, who would inevitably complain to Baloo, who would then demand to know whether Bagheera had banged his head on a rock and…

No. As much as he wanted peace (and while a very small part of him _did_ think that Mowgli should apologize for nearly burning the tiger to a crisp) he knew the boy’s actions were in self-defence. Mowgli wouldn’t have had to resort to fire if Shere Khan hadn’t been hunting him in the first place.

Perhaps some of his reluctance showed on his face, for a low chuckle sounded from deep within the tiger. “I didn’t think so,” he rumbled, standing up to move past Bagheera, the warm bulk of his pelt brushing along the panther’s flank. Bagheera repressed a shudder as best as he could and acknowledged the hint that the discussion was over.

Heaving a heartfelt sigh of disappointment, Bagheera took to his feet and followed Shere Khan’s lead.

*****

The two felines made their way back to the clearing, each lost in his own thoughts. Bagheera was acutely aware of how the tiger’s ears kept flicking back every few seconds to ascertain his presence, and it made him hide a smile…but it also saddened him. Shere Khan obviously did not trust him, despite Bagheera proving, time and time again, that he was not a threat and had no wish to cross claws with him.

Then again, Shere Khan didn’t trust anyone but himself.

It was a lonely life.

So distracted was he that Bagheera walked straight into the tiger’s flank, almost stumbling off-balance when the sturdy body did not give under his force. Shocked out of his daze, he glanced up to lock eyes with Shere Khan, who had turned around to look at him.

Stammering out a hasty apology, Bagheera moved away from the feline and finally took note of his surroundings. They had arrived back at the clearing, and the panther had not even noticed the shift in his surroundings, so absorbed had he been in his thoughts. It only then occurred to him that he had blindly followed Shere Khan, who could very well have led him to the edge of a cliff and laughed when he plummeted over the precipice.

Embarrassed by his inattention and almost dizzy with relief that he had _not_ met with an untimely death, Bagheera glanced over at Shere Khan. From the look in his eyes, the tiger had been well aware that Bagheera had not been paying attention to their surroundings…and he was also aware of how he could have taken advantage of it.

The two predators stood there for a moment, surveying each other. Bagheera had no clue as to what the other was feeling, but in that moment, he felt like thanking the tiger for not taking advantage of his rare moment of vulnerability. He didn’t, to the relief of his own wariness. Showing gratitude was like handing over a higher form of power to the tiger, and it felt like too much in exchange for too little. After all, the panther’s truce had gone unheeded, which meant he was still considered, for all intents and purposes, the opposition.

Still, Bagheera knew he had not imagined what he saw in the other’s eyes, not from as close as he had been – he knew Shere Khan had, even if just for a second, seriously considered accepting his deal.

Said tiger was now beginning to swish his tail in restlessness, the stare-off broken in favour of advancing towards the cave on the other side of the clearing.

It felt weird to be parting ways without so much as a ‘by your leave’ after engaging in as eventful a discussion and lively sparring as the two felines had had for the better part of the day, but Bagheera didn’t yield to the oddness. Instead, he turned away from the feline and headed out of the clearing, readying himself for the journey back to familiar lands and faces.

On the way, however, he happened to glance at the pile of bones piled near the cave as he passed it.

Against his better judgement, Bagheera paused and glanced over his shoulder. “By the way, thanks for the meal. It was…pretty good.”

Shere Khan, who’d been standing at the mouth of the cave and carefully watching his departure, didn’t respond for a second or two, expression neutral as he seemed to mentally assess the other where he stood. Uncomfortable, the panther was about to turn away when that pensive gaze shifted to a more genial countenance. “Don’t push your luck.”

Perhaps it was his imagination, but Bagheera could have sworn the usual poison that laced the tiger’s every threat was absent this time. He wasn’t given a chance to mull it over, though.

“So, I take it your business here is done.”

And just like that, it was back - the very familiar and not-so-subtle insinuation of immediate peril, if the look in his eyes was anything to go by. “And I’m sure you wouldn’t like to overstay your welcome…right?”

The panther didn’t need to be told twice.


End file.
